US9245397B2 - Instrument gauge - Google Patents
Instrument gauge Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US9245397B2 US9245397B2 US14/269,698 US201414269698A US9245397B2 US 9245397 B2 US9245397 B2 US 9245397B2 US 201414269698 A US201414269698 A US 201414269698A US 9245397 B2 US9245397 B2 US 9245397B2
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- digital
- rotary
- vehicle parameter
- range
- gauge
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Fee Related
Links
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims description 7
- 239000000446 fuel Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000012423 maintenance Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07C—TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- G07C5/00—Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
- G07C5/08—Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
- G07C5/12—Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time in graphical form
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07C—TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- G07C5/00—Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
- G07C5/08—Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
- G07C5/0816—Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction
- G07C5/0825—Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction using optical means
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60K35/00—Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
- B60K35/20—Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
- B60K35/21—Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor using visual output, e.g. blinking lights or matrix displays
- B60K35/214—Variable gauge scales, e.g. scale enlargement to adapt to maximum driving speed
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60K35/00—Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
- B60K35/20—Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
- B60K35/21—Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor using visual output, e.g. blinking lights or matrix displays
- B60K35/215—Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor using visual output, e.g. blinking lights or matrix displays characterised by the combination of multiple visual outputs, e.g. combined instruments with analogue meters and additional displays
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60K35/00—Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
- B60K35/60—Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01P—MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, OR SHOCK; INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT
- G01P1/00—Details of instruments
- G01P1/07—Indicating devices, e.g. for remote indication
- G01P1/08—Arrangements of scales, pointers, lamps or acoustic indicators, e.g. in automobile speedometers
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60K35/00—Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
- B60K35/20—Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07C—TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- G07C5/00—Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
- G07C5/08—Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
Definitions
- An instrument cluster assembly also known as instrument panel, can include multiple gauges for displaying vehicle parameters relating to the operation of a vehicle.
- vehicle parameters displayed can include at least one of speed, engine rotations per minute (RPM), engine temperature, fuel level, distance travelled or other information relating to the operation of the vehicle.
- RPM engine rotations per minute
- a user of the vehicle must monitor the vehicle parameters to ensure safe operation of the vehicle and to identify possible vehicle maintenance or reliability issues.
- each vehicle parameter has been communicated to a user through the use of an analog gauge with a rotating pointer. More recently, instrument clusters have incorporated digital numerical gauges for some vehicle parameters and analog gauges for other vehicle parameters. There is a need to effectively communicate a vehicle parameter to the user in order for the user to monitor operation of the vehicle.
- an instrument gauge in one exemplary embodiment, includes a gauge face.
- a rotary portion is located on the gauge face.
- the rotary portion includes a rotary indicating element that is configured to rotate between a first rotary position and a second rotary position to indicate a first range of values of a vehicle parameter.
- a digital portion is located on the gauge face and includes a digital indicating element that is configured to move between a first digital position and a second digital position to indicate a second range of values of the vehicle parameter.
- a method of operating an instrument gauge includes indicating a first range of a vehicle parameter by rotating a rotary indicating element on a rotary portion of the instrument gauge and indicating a second range of the vehicle parameter by illuminating a digital indicating element on a digital portion of the instrument gauge.
- FIG. 1 illustrates an example instrument gauge
- FIG. 2 illustrates the example instrument gauge of FIG. 1 indicating a first value of a vehicle parameter.
- FIG. 3 illustrates the example instrument gauge of FIG. 1 indicating a second value of the vehicle parameter.
- FIG. 4 illustrates another example instrument gauge.
- FIG. 5 illustrates an example instrument cluster
- an instrument gauge 20 displays a primary vehicle parameter 25 , such as speed or engine rotations per minute (RPM), and a secondary vehicle parameter 27 , such as fuel level, temperature, or RPM.
- the instrument gauge 20 includes an instrument face 21 on a rotary portion 22 and a digital portion 24 .
- the rotary portion 22 is a generally circular dial and the digital portion 24 is a generally rectangular protrusion extending from an upper radially outer portion of the circular dial.
- Parameter indicating marks 30 are located on the instrument face 21 for indicating a value of the primary vehicle parameter 25 .
- the parameter indicating marks 30 are circumferentially spaced around the rotary portion 22 and linearly spaced along the digital portion 24 to form a set of generally equally spaced parameter indicating marks 30 .
- the rotary portion 22 includes a pointer 26 that pivots around a pivot axis 28 .
- the pointer 26 could either be a traditional analog pointer or a digital pointer that simulates an analog pointer.
- the pointer 26 generally extends between the six o'clock position and the twelve o'clock position to indicate a first range 34 of values of the primary vehicle parameter 25 .
- a value of the primary vehicle parameter 25 is indicted by movement of the pointer 26 around the rotary portion 22 towards the digital portion 24 .
- the digital portion 24 includes multiple illuminating elements 32 that correspond to at least one of the parameter indicating marks 30 to indicate a value of the primary vehicle parameter 25 in a second range 36 .
- the first range 34 indicates a lower range of values for the primary vehicle parameter 25 and the second range 36 indicates a higher range of values for the primary vehicle parameter 25 .
- the first range 34 could include a speed between 0 MPH and 80 MPH or an RPM range between 0 RPM and 6,000 RPM and the second range 36 could include a speed between 80 MPH and 150 MPH or an RPM range between 6,000 RPM and 10,000 RPM.
- FIG. 2 illustrates the instrument gauge 20 displaying a value of the primary vehicle parameter 25 that falls within the first range 34 . Only the pointer 26 on the rotary portion 22 is used to indicate the appropriate parameter indicating mark 30 that corresponds to a value of the primary vehicle parameter 25 within the first range 34 .
- an illuminated element 32 a of the digital portion 24 indicates the appropriate parameter indicating mark 30 that corresponds to that value.
- the pointer 26 remains fixed at a maximum analog location 38 and is hidden behind the digital portion 24 when the value of the primary vehicle parameter 25 falls within the second range 36 .
- each of the previously illuminated illuminating elements 32 remain illuminated.
- FIG. 5 illustrates an example instrument cluster 50 including the instrument gauge 20 and a second instrument gauge 20 a .
- the second instrument gauge 20 a is substantially similar to the instrument gauge 20 except that the instrument gauge 20 a is a mirror image of the instrument gauge 20 .
- the instrument gauge 20 will indicate a different primary vehicle parameter 25 and different secondary vehicle parameters 27 than the second instrument gauge 20 a.
Landscapes
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Transportation (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Instrument Panels (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims (18)
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US14/269,698 US9245397B2 (en) | 2014-05-05 | 2014-05-05 | Instrument gauge |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US14/269,698 US9245397B2 (en) | 2014-05-05 | 2014-05-05 | Instrument gauge |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20150317849A1 US20150317849A1 (en) | 2015-11-05 |
US9245397B2 true US9245397B2 (en) | 2016-01-26 |
Family
ID=54355621
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US14/269,698 Expired - Fee Related US9245397B2 (en) | 2014-05-05 | 2014-05-05 | Instrument gauge |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
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US (1) | US9245397B2 (en) |
Families Citing this family (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
JP6947051B2 (en) * | 2018-01-19 | 2021-10-13 | トヨタ自動車株式会社 | Hybrid car |
Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4415855A (en) * | 1979-04-12 | 1983-11-15 | The Lewis Engineering Company | Combination analog-digital indicator |
US6404463B1 (en) * | 1997-09-15 | 2002-06-11 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Display device |
US7116216B2 (en) | 2004-07-22 | 2006-10-03 | Keith Andreasen | Serial data gauge |
US20070090939A1 (en) * | 2005-10-24 | 2007-04-26 | Siemens Vdo Automotive Corporation | Indication change instrument cluster |
US8497770B2 (en) * | 2010-01-29 | 2013-07-30 | Matthew Stevens Staffanou | Low profile flexible light bar tachometer |
-
2014
- 2014-05-05 US US14/269,698 patent/US9245397B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Patent Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4415855A (en) * | 1979-04-12 | 1983-11-15 | The Lewis Engineering Company | Combination analog-digital indicator |
US6404463B1 (en) * | 1997-09-15 | 2002-06-11 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Display device |
US7116216B2 (en) | 2004-07-22 | 2006-10-03 | Keith Andreasen | Serial data gauge |
US20070090939A1 (en) * | 2005-10-24 | 2007-04-26 | Siemens Vdo Automotive Corporation | Indication change instrument cluster |
US8497770B2 (en) * | 2010-01-29 | 2013-07-30 | Matthew Stevens Staffanou | Low profile flexible light bar tachometer |
Non-Patent Citations (3)
Title |
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Photograph of 2008 Kawasaki Versys 3. |
Photograph of Chevrolet Sonic 2012 575. |
Photograph of Guzzi Gauges. |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
US20150317849A1 (en) | 2015-11-05 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
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AS | Assignment |
Owner name: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, INC., MICHIGAN Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:SAMANIEGO CARDENAS, GERARDO ARTURO;BUENROSTRO, CESAR ASCENCION;SIGNING DATES FROM 20140501 TO 20140502;REEL/FRAME:032822/0343 |
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FEPP | Fee payment procedure |
Free format text: PAYOR NUMBER ASSIGNED (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: ASPN); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY |
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STCF | Information on status: patent grant |
Free format text: PATENTED CASE |
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FEPP | Fee payment procedure |
Free format text: MAINTENANCE FEE REMINDER MAILED (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: REM.); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY |
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LAPS | Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees |
Free format text: PATENT EXPIRED FOR FAILURE TO PAY MAINTENANCE FEES (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: EXP.); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY |
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STCH | Information on status: patent discontinuation |
Free format text: PATENT EXPIRED DUE TO NONPAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEES UNDER 37 CFR 1.362 |
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FP | Lapsed due to failure to pay maintenance fee |
Effective date: 20200126 |